How to start deploying open source software for your small business

Open source software provides small businesses with the ability to try and deploy enterprise-grade software without the associated enterprise licensing costs. Open source software also empowers small business by avoiding vendor lock-in and being able to access a broader market of service providers whom support the software.

There is a huge range of software available today for the small business market, including: email/collaboration software, document management, customer relationship management, Windows operating system alternatives, network security, data backup, data analysis / reporting and IP telephony just to name a few.

Moving a small business to open source software does not require radical changes. Here are a few low risk suggestions:

If you are having a website developed for your business, require that website be developed using a open source based content management system such as Drupal or Joomla. Rather than a custom-built content management system, a classic lock-in strategy.

Often moving from a Windows Desktop environment is scoffed at as being too hard. However, many Linux Desktops these days provide a free Live CDROM which allows you to try the complete Linux Desktop without installing any software on your computer at all! So there is very little risk in just exploring what a Linux Desktop has to offer you, try: